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Minnesotans urged to fish close to home

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesotans should fish close to home to help curb the coronavirus pandemic when the walleye season opens this weekend, avoiding overnight stays and driving no further than they can go on one tank of gas, Department of Natural Resources officials said Wednesday.

A surge in fishing license sales indicates that many Minnesotans are getting antsy under the state's stay-at-home order and really want to hit the lakes. DNR fisheries chief Brad Parsons said license sales are up 40% from this point last year, with roughly 362,000 sold so far.

Fishing and other forms of outdoor recreation are exempt from the stay-at-home order, and live bait sales are permitted, but DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said social distancing remains critical.

"We really need for Minnesotans to fish close to home. This time of a pandemic is not the time to travel long distances to fish. We know that travel is one of the ways that the COVID-19 virus can spread," Strommen said during a briefing.

Minnesota's outdoor recreation guidelines advise against overnight stays, suggest anglers bring all needed supplies, and restrict driving to a single tank of gas for the journey there and back, the commissioner said. The restrictions aim to protect older people and Native Americans who live near popular fishing spots in rural Minnesota who could be vulnerable to the virus and depend on the same grocery stores and gas stations where anglers would shop. Cabin owners aren't barred from traveling to their lake places, but she discouraged them from doing so.

Social distancing while fishing means staying at least 6 feet away from people from other households, especially at boat launches and fishing piers, Strommen said. That's about the length of a typical fishing rod.

In fishing close to home, she suggested, try a different time of day when a favorite fishing spot may be less crowded, find a new lake or river to try, consider fishing for species other than the prized walleye, and think about fishing from shore.

The DNR's enforcement chief, Rodmen Smith, said his conservation officers don't expect to ticket people for stay-at-home violations this weekend. He said they will continue to emphasize education instead.